2. Description of the Prior Art
The usefulness of infusion sets for administering medical liquids has long been recognized. U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,727 issued to Reiterman in 1972 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,236 issued to Gordon in 1982 are typical examples. These sets include an intravenous needle or catheter connected to one end of a flexible tube. The tube is connected by means of an adapter at its other end to a medical liquid source. In many medical situations it is useful to have the adapter include a "Y" fitting to allow connection of the infusion set to alternative sources of medical liquids or to permit the drawing of blood from the patient without an additional puncture.
With the rise of HIV and other infectious diseases, concern, amongst hospital personnel handling blood and other bodily fluids, regarding control and containment of these fluids has increased substantially. An infusion set, typified by the present invention, is often used to first draw a blood sample from the patient, and then to infuse the patient with some type of solution. In the usual sequence of events blood is drawn through one side of the "Y" connector while the other side of the connector is capped with a sterile protective cover. An external clamp is then applied to the flexible tubing to shut off the flow of blood to the connector. The solution source is then connected to the other side of the connector and the clamp is then removed from the flexible tube and the solution flows into the patient.
Using the above scenario, opportunity exists for blood to leak out of the "Y" connector after the blood drawing device is removed. In addition, attachment of the small external clamp to the flexible tubing is difficult to perform quickly and a certain degree of care is required to insure that the clamp is firmly in place.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a means to prevent leakage of blood or other fluids from the infusion set. It is a further objective of the invention to positively control flow through the flexible tubing of the infusion set from either branch of a "Y" connector. It is another objective of the invention to permit entry of a needle into one branch of the "Y" connector without addition of any other fittings or adapters. It is yet another objective of the invention to provide a means to maintain the connections to the infusion set in sterile condition prior to use.